


Live Through This

by zahnie



Category: Leverage
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, F/M, Groundhog Day, Gun Violence, M/M, Multi, Not Really Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 03:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17195642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zahnie/pseuds/zahnie
Summary: Parker, Hardison, and Eliot are running a job as a favour to Nate and Sophie when Parker starts experiencing a time loop: the day of the heist over and over, resetting every time she dies.





	Live Through This

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greenmonstermash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenmonstermash/gifts).



> Hi! This is a Christmas gift for greenmonstermash, because nothing says 'happy holidays' like Groundhog-Day style death fic :D Is it even correct to call it a death fic if she doesn't stay dead and there's a happy ending?
> 
> Set post-canon. There is violence inherent in this premise, and while it's a bit more bloody than canon, I didn't think it warranted the 'graphic depictions of violence' warning tag but ymmv.
> 
> Title from [Champion by Fall Out Boy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uhEictEW_c)

“That man,” Hardison says, as he slams the door to their hotel room behind him, “is a control freak.”

“He always was,” Eliot says, barely glancing up. He's helping Parker sort out her rigging for tomorrow. She doesn't need help but she's letting him.

“It's like he's forgotten we're fine on our own. I don't need to be micromanaged like this,” Hardison says.

Parker pulls on a strap to make sure it isn't frayed. “What did Nate say?” she asks. Hardison likes to explain why he's complaining.

“Said he wanted to 'remind' me about the security system and ended up going back through the whole plan again.” Hardison flops into a flowered armchair near the coffee table Parker is sitting on. “I don't even know why he's still running this. We could finish up the whole thing independently.”

He's right. Nate and Sophie worked on this mark for a month before bringing them in. It could have been like two teams trading off. But it's Nate. Parker isn't going to waste her time fighting him for the lead when she knows he'll see them through okay.

Eliot picks up a spare buckle and hands it to Parker. He stands up from the floor. “It's his job,” Eliot says.

“Not anymore,” Hardison says.

“I mean it's his mark,” Eliot says. “Stop stressing about it.” He pats Hardison's shoulder. Hardison leans toward him.

Parker uncrosses her legs to set her feet on the floor. “Let's go to bed,” she says, standing up.

“It's a bit early to go to sleep,” Hardison says, but he's smiling so he's probably just pretending not to know what she means.

“Then we can find something else to do,” Eliot says, smiling too.

Parker grins at both of them.

~

The next morning, they wake up early for last-minute preparations. The plan is pretty simple. Parker rappels down and gets in through a window on the 15th floor. She breaks into the vault to grab the files. Eliot brings her clothes to blend in for their joint exit, plus punching guards if necessary. Hardison's outside in the van, monitoring the security system. Easy.

Nate mentioned he wanted to listen in on the comms but it's the type of job they've done a million times so Parker said no. Maybe that's why Nate wanted to go over the security again with Hardison last night.

The mark doesn't have motion sensors on the roof so Parker ziplines over from the top of a neighbouring building. She sets up her rappelling rig, making sure she's on the right side of the building. “Ready,” she says.

“We're good whenever, babe,” Hardison says.

Parker jumps. She grins at the rush of wind in her face, so fast like it'll push her up and she could fly. She holds her laughter inside her chest today. It would echo too much if she let it out.

Faster, faster. Somehow she set the tension too low. Any second now, she's going to be pulled up short and it is going to _hurt_.

Something's wrong. The street below is too close. She is actually going to fall all the way down.

Parker's only real emotion in the last few falling seconds is _disbelief_ in what is happening. Then she hits the sidewalk and there's no time left to feel anything.

~

Parker jerks awake. She's in a bed. Not a hospital bed but the hotel bed from this morning, with Eliot and Hardison on either side of her. They're both asleep.

She sits up slowly. Nothing hurts. That's weirder than being back at the hotel. Parker's pretty sure she isn't drugged up either. She feels normal.

Eliot stirs. He blinks at her. “Morning, darlin',” he says, smiling, just like nothing happened.

“Why are we back here?” Parker asks.

Eliot's forehead creases. “What?”

“I fell,” she says. He just looks blank so she turns and shakes Hardison awake.

Hardison yawns hugely. “What's up?”

“Didn't I fall yesterday?” Parker asks.

He looks at the clock and groans. “It is seven o'clock in the goddamn morning. I know you two are early birds but—”

Parker interrupts him because this is important. “Did I fall yesterday?”

“No,” Eliot and Hardison say at the same time. Eliot looks much more awake now. “Did you dream about falling?” he asks.

“My rig malfunctioned on the job,” Parker says. She's never had a dream that clear before. She can still remember how much it hurt to hit the ground.

“The job we're doing today?” Hardison asks.

Parker doesn't know what to say. Eliot gets up so she doesn't have to crawl over him, and she checks the date on her phone. It's Friday again.

It seemed so real. Parker isn't sure how she feels about it. It's good she isn't hurt, that's always good. But why would she dream about falling like that?

The whole morning goes almost exactly like her dream. By the time she's ziplined over to the mark's building, Parker is vibrating with frustration. After she sets up her rappelling rig, she hesitates, then checks it again.

The end of her line isn't secured properly. If she'd jumped with it like this, she would have fallen all the way down.

Parker fixes it. She checks the whole rig over again, twice. Everything else is the way it should be.

“Hey, babe, you good?” Hardison asks over the comms.

“Yeah, ready now,” Parker says. She's heard the phrase 'dreams come true' but it's never literally happened to her before.

She jumps. Her line catches her at the right time and the window is easy to get through. Parker sneaks out of the empty office where she landed. “I'm in,” she whispers.

“Okay, exit to the left and turn right at the corner,” Hardison says. “The vault is in a room four doors down on the left side of the hall.”

Parker follows his instructions. Just as she's crouching to pick the lock on the vault room door, a group of security guards comes around the corner. How did they get there? Hardison should have warned her.

Parker straightens up and turns to run in one movement. She opens her mouth to talk to Hardison but before she can speak, something hits her hard in the back of the head.

~

Parker wakes up already moving. She kicks both Eliot and Hardison before she realizes where she is. Back in the hotel room again.

“Ow,” Hardison grumbles, shifting away from her.

“Parker, what the hell?” Eliot growls.

“Not a dream,” Parker says, sitting up and rubbing the back of her head, even though it doesn't hurt anymore. She climbs out of bed over Eliot, making him growl more. Her phone says it's Friday. Definitely not a dream.

While they're getting ready for the job _again_ , Parker thinks hard about what this means. Last time, she fixed her rig so she didn't die by falling. If she waits in the office longer or loops around a different way to avoid the guards today, she should be able to keep from getting shot in the head. Though the guards shouldn't be taking headshots with no warning. They're security guards, not snipers.

When Parker gets to the roof, she still has to fix her rig again. It seems like things don't change unless she makes them change. This time, she lingers in the empty office longer, then dashes to the vault room door. No guards in sight.

The door lock is easy, would have been even if she hadn't seen it before. The vault is at the far end of the room.

“Hey, babe, where are you?” Hardison asks over the comms.

“Starting on the vault,” she says.

“Oh, okay. El's on his way in then.”

“Sure,” Parker says, already half-lost in listening to the tumblers inside the vault's lock. They're comfortingly familiar. Glenn-Rieders like this are a popular choice. Time slips away as she works. Only her heartbeat reminds her of the world outside.

One last click and it's done. Parker pushes on the handle. The safe door swings open. For a company vault, it's big, with five filing cabinets on each side and three across the back. Fortunately, she knows exactly what she's looking for.

When she pulls the right drawer open, a light starts flashing on the ceiling. “Hardison, why are there motion sensors on the filing cabinets?” Parker asks, fingers frantically flipping through files. She might still escape before the guards get here.

She doesn't hear his answer because there's a sudden hissing sound and the whole vault bursts into flames.

~

When she wakes up this time, Parker stays still. Neither motion sensors nor a burn room come standard with that kind of vault. Those features must have been added in on-site. How could Nate have missed that? Maybe he just found out the safe type and assumed it was fine, just like _she'd_ assumed he would have checked.

Now that she knows, Parker can fix it. But she'll still have to talk to Nate after. He can't send them in with bad intel. It's dangerous. And this job was already dangerous enough that she's died three times doing it.

“Are you okay? You seem distracted,” Hardison says, as they get ready for the job.

“The vault is a burn room, like that one at Verd Agra,” Parker says. “Pretty sure that part is tied to the motion sensors, so if you can disable those, I'll be good.”

Hardison stares at her. “Nate didn't mention... but you know more about safes than he does. Why didn't you tell me this before?”

Parker shrugs. “Is there enough time for you to do it?” she asks.

“Yeah, no problem, now that I know they're there,” Hardison says.

“Good,” Parker says.

She fixes her rig, times her sprint down the hall, whisks open the vault, and finds the files in record time. It feels good to hit a rhythm where everything is working.

“Parker, I thought you said twenty-five minutes to get the files. It's barely been ten,” Eliot says.

“I'm fast,” she says.

“Well then, you'll have to wait for me.”

She waits in the vault room for what feels like a really long time, until Eliot arrives with a briefcase. Parker changes and they stuff her thief clothes into the briefcase with the files.

“Just about done,” Parker says happily.

They head out towards the stairwell. The guards are waiting around the first corner.

Parker is a little ahead of Eliot so they target her first. Bullets rip into her stomach and left leg. Parker cries out, drops the briefcase, falls. It hurts but she won't feel it soon. And then she'll wake up and try _again_.

“Parker!” Eliot yells. Parker watches him disarming and hitting guards while her blood soaks into the carpet. This time, it's taking a lot longer to die. She doesn't like it.

At last, Eliot's behind her, cradling her gently. “Push down here,” he says, guiding her hand. She doesn't want to. It'll hurt more and it won't save her.

“It's okay,” Parker gasps through the pain. “I'll fix it.” She'll definitely get it right next time. She's getting tired of dying.

“I'm... gonna lift you, okay?” Eliot asks. There's a catch in his voice like he's about to cry. Parker realizes suddenly that he doesn't know she'll reset. He thinks this is real.

“What happened? Parker? Eliot?” Hardison's frantic voice over the comms.

“Leave me here, it's okay,” Parker says. Breathing is getting harder. She has to fight for every word.

“Never,” Eliot says, gathering Parker in his arms. He stands up. She bites back a scream at the fresh wave of pain.

Eliot says, “Hardison, ambulance. Parker's—”

The echo of a gunshot cuts him off. Liquid hits Parker's face at the same time. In her eyes, in her nose, in her mouth. Blood.

They fall.

“Eliot!” Parker screams. Tries to. He's on top of her, crushing all her air out. Dead weight.

She tries to close her eyes but they keep blinking to get the blood out. She doesn't want to see. The other three times, she died alone. This is worse.

Finally, with Hardison's anguished cries ringing in her ears, Parker blacks out.

~

She wakes up in the hotel room. Eliot sleeping in front of her, Hardison at her back. The memory of pain followed her, like it did the other times. But that isn't what makes her curl into a ball. Her chest hurts. Her breathing goes uneven.

Eliot blinks his eyes open. He smiles at Parker before he's completely awake, like he's just so happy to see her. Parker squeezes her eyes shut but the tears come out anyway. She holds her breath, trying to be still.

“Hey darlin', you okay?” Eliot asks. He touches her shoulder lightly.

It's too much. Parker can't keep the sobs back anymore.

“Hey, it's okay,” Eliot says, petting her arm soothingly. “Nightmare?”

Her crying is loud enough now to wake Hardison up. “Parker?” he asks, voice muzzy with sleep.

“Not going to happen, no way,” she gasps between sobs. She can fix it, keep it from happening again.

“Bad dream?” Hardison asks.

“Yeah, I think so,” Eliot answers.

Parker sits up in the bed and wraps her arms around her knees. Eliot sits up too but keeps his hands on the covers. She must look like she doesn't want to be touched right now. She holds her breath again and manages to stop sobbing, though tears are still coming out of her eyes.

There's a way to fix everything that she hasn't tried yet. “Let's go.”

“Go where?” Hardison asks.

Anywhere. “Home,” Parker says.

“We have that job for Nate today, remember?” Eliot asks.

“Not worth it,” Parker says. She lets go of her knees. She scrambles over the covers down the middle of the bed and lands on the floor.

“Parker, are you okay?” Hardison asks. “Last night, we were all agreed to do the job.”

“Last night was a long time ago,” Parker says. She starts scooping their stuff into suitcases.

“I mean, not any longer than usual,” Hardison says.

Eliot gets out of the bed and walks over to her. “Darlin', can't you tell us what's wrong?”

“You wouldn't believe me.” They didn't before and Parker didn't even cry that time.

“Try me,” Eliot says.

Parker squares her shoulders and looks him right in the eye. “I'm going to die on this job,” she says.

Eliot becomes very still.

“Whoa, whoa,” Hardison says. He gets out of bed too and joins them. “Parker, you had a bad dream. You aren't going to...” He trails off as she turns to look at him.

“How?” Eliot demands.

Parker shrugs. “It's different every time because I remember and fix it.” She knows it sounds crazy. Of course it does.

“But... like, this is when you're planning, right?” Hardison asks.

“No,” Parker says, impatient. “This is my fifth Friday morning in a row. When I die, I wake up and it's Friday again.”

“And every time, we can't save you?” Eliot asks.

Her throat feels too tight suddenly. Parker swallows. She shakes her head.

Hardison sits down on the end of the bed. “What happened?”

Parker counts the deaths off on her fingers. “Fell because my rig malfunctioned, shot in the head by the guards, burned up because the vault's actually a burn room, and shot by the guards again but in the stomach and leg that time.”

They're both staring at her. Parker braces herself. Do they think she's crazy?

“The rig I helped you set up last night?” Eliot asks.

“The guards I should be warning you about?” Hardison asks.

“What?” Parker frowns. They aren't making sense. “No, that's... I should've figured out the plan better beforehand.”

“It's Nate's plan,” Hardison points out.

“I still should have—” Parker starts to say but Eliot cuts her off.

“That last one. You wouldn't have died right away.” He has his arms crossed tight to his chest like he's cold.

“I told you to leave me there and you wouldn't,” Parker says.

“Damn right I wouldn't,” Eliot says.

“They killed you while you were trying to help me. When I was dying anyway,” Parker says. She doesn't want to talk about this anymore. “So, are we going?”

Hardison lets out a long breath. “If one of us says no, we don't do the job, right? We're in this together.”

Eliot nods.

Parker doesn't ask if they believe her. It's enough that they'll follow her lead.

They don't talk much on the way to the airport. There's a direct flight to Portland in a few hours so they settle in at the gate to wait. Parker's tired but she can barely sit still. Eliot keeps scanning the crowd like he thinks they're being watched. Hardison's been glued to his phone since they left the hotel.

After they've been sitting there about fifteen minutes, Hardison says, “There's lots of media about time loops.”

“How do people stop them?” Parker asks.

“Mostly it seems like they learn a life lesson,” Hardison says. Eliot snorts.

Parker can't think what life lesson she could learn from this. Maybe that's the point.

“But, uh, trying to run doesn't usually work out,” Hardison says.

“This isn't a movie,” Eliot says. He nudges Parker gently. “Did we really make you stay before? The other times?”

“No. The first time I reset, you both said it was a dream. I thought so too until I checked my rig,” Parker says.

After a pause, Eliot asks, “And the next time?”

Parker shrugs. “I was trying to fix it.”

“So you've been going through this by yourself.” It isn't a question.

Parker hadn't thought about it like that. She'd been so focused on the problem in front of her, like it was just her involved.

“If there's a next time,” Hardison says, “tell us again.”

Parker sighs. She hates explaining.

“We could make up a code thing,” Eliot suggests. “So Hardison and I could figure out faster about the time loop.”

Hardison's face lights up. “Oh my god, I can't believe that was _your_ idea. This is so geeky of you, baby, I'm so proud.”

Eliot rolls his eyes but he's smiling too.

“What kind of code?” Parker asks.

“Yes, please tell us your secret code ideas,” Hardison says, putting his chin in his hands.

“It would have to be _simple_ ,” Eliot says, glaring, “Since only Parker would remember us making it up.” He hesitates. “Like... a fact about us only we know that wouldn't be online anywhere.”

“Literally a _secret_ code. I love it,” Hardison says.

“Not a bad secret,” Parker says. She doesn't want them to tell her anything they don't want to.

“5076,” Hardison says. “The PIN of my first bank account. I don't use it anymore but nobody else knows it.”

“Jason Evans,” Eliot says. “My uh... first kiss.”

“Really?” Hardison asks, grinning. “Oh man, mine's lame now.”

“Thanks,” Parker says, nudging both of them in turn.

“Let's hope you don't have to use it,” Eliot says, his smile fading.

They finally get on the plane an eternity later. Parker takes the window seat, Eliot the aisle, and Hardison the middle. They shouldn't sit together probably. Enemies know them as a unit more than individuals these days. But she can't face suggesting splitting up right now.

The plane is still on its initial ascent to cruising altitude when the shaking starts. It doesn't seem like anything at first. Regular turbulence. But it gets worse and worse.

Hardison grabs Parker's hand. She looks up into his wide, scared eyes and she knows this is her fault.

“You said running wouldn't help,” she says.

Hardison swallows hard. “Maybe I'm wrong and we'll be fine.”

The plane jerks and Parker can feel that they're falling. Hardison cries out.

“I'll fix it!” Parker yells, over the screams and sobs of the other passengers. “This won't have happened!”

Oxygen masks fall from the ceiling. Hardison is hyperventilating too much to be able to put his on so she and Eliot help him. They curl around each other as much as they can and wait for the impact.

~

Parker wakes up angry. She has other emotions too but they don't matter. Anger is always easier. She has a lot of practice with it. And it's even easier when she has someone to blame.

She slips out of bed, smoothly enough that Eliot stays sleeping. It's trickier to sneak out of the middle but Parker's done it before.

She almost doesn't bother with clothes but they can be armour and she's planning to pick a fight. After getting dressed, Parker eases the hallway door open slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the light. She runs silently through the hotel, picks the lock on Nate and Sophie's door, and enters their room. They're asleep, barely visible lumps under the covers in the darkness.

“Nate!” Parker yells.

Both lumps jerk violently. They jolt up into sitting positions, one of them fumbling for the lamp. When it turns on, both of them curse and shield their eyes. The light is bright but not so bright that Parker can't see the gun Sophie pulls back under the covers.

Nate squints at her and asks, “Parker?”

“This better be good,” Sophie grumbles, her voice a bit rougher than usual.

“Your plan sucks,” Parker says to Nate, clenching her hands into fists. “The vault is a burn room and the guards shoot to kill.”

“What?” Nate asks, rubbing his hair.

“Three out of my five deaths were because I didn't have enough information.”

“Three out of—Parker, _what_ are you talking about?” Nate asks.

“I trusted you!” Parker yells. That's what it comes down to. Betrayal.

“Parker,” Sophie says, soothingly, “Deep breaths. Calm down.”

Nate is staring at Parker like she just stabbed him. She glares back. No. He doesn't get to be surprised or confused right now. It's his fault.

“Parker,” Sophie says again. She doesn't say anything else until Parker looks over at her. “Explain what's going on. We don't understand.”

They _should_ understand. Parker's so sick of being the only one who remembers. She exhales forcefully and takes a deep breath.

“What's wrong with the plan?” Nate asks.

“I just told you. The vault's a burn room and the guards shoot to kill. We need a better plan.”

“I didn't know about the vault,” Nate says slowly.

Parker takes another deep breath. “It doesn't come standard with that kind of safe,” she says. If he can admit he was wrong, she can meet him halfway.

“We're being blackmailed,” Sophie blurts out.

Parker stares at her. Nate rubs his face. “I need a drink. Can you go get Eliot and Hardison and we can discuss this while everyone's wearing pants?”

“You should have told us,” Parker says. Nate keeps rubbing his face and doesn't look at her. Sophie nods.

Parker goes back to her hotel room. Eliot's awake and half-dressed, doing stretches on the floor. “Morning, darlin',” he says quietly, smiling at her.

With her anger fading, Parker's other feelings are coming back. She kneels down and puts her arms around him, her face into his neck.

“Hey, you okay?” Eliot asks, hugging her back. “What's going on?”

This close, she can feel his heartbeat. Strong and steady. Now, when she takes a deep breath, it actually helps her calm down.

Parker pulls back. “I went and talked to Nate. We're changing the plan,” she says.

Eliot's eyebrows go up but he nods. She stands up and climbs into the bed with Hardison. She snuggles close to him. “Wake up,” she whispers, and somehow, she's right on the edge of crying again.

Hardison grumbles a little but he opens his eyes. He looks at the clock and asks, “Seven thirty? Seriously? I know you two are early birds but—”

Parker interrupts him. “We're changing the plan. And I have to tell you guys something.” Her voice sounds weird.

Hardison looks more alert now. “Tell us what?”

“Get up,” she says, climbing out of bed again.

Hardison gets up and Eliot pulls on a shirt while Parker paces a little in front of the window. They keep looking at her.

“I've been in a time loop,” Parker says, when they're both dressed. She points at Hardison. “5076, the PIN of your first bank account.” She points at Eliot. “Jason Evans, your first kiss.”

They stare at her. “What?” Hardison asks.

“We made up a code last time so you'd believe me faster,” Parker says.

They're still staring at her. “What the hell is going on?” Eliot asks. “What's a time loop?”

“I have the same day over and over. It resets when I die. This is my sixth Friday.”

“When you _die_?” Hardison asks.

Oh, that reminds her. Parker fishes her phone out of her bag and calls the airport. “Hi, one of your planes is going to crash today. Flight 4436, heading to Portland.” She hangs up.

Eliot has his arms crossed again like yesterday. “Plane crash?” he asks.

She meets his eyes. “Yeah, that was last time. We were running.”

Hardison sits down on the end of the bed. “This is... six times, you said?”

Parker nods. “I talked to Nate and Sophie. They weren't telling us the real reason for this job. They're being blackmailed.” She crosses the room to the door. “Come on.”

They follow her to Nate and Sophie's room, Hardison already typing frantically on his phone. When they get there, Nate waves at them to sit down with the hand not holding a whiskey glass.

“Those files I asked you to get aren't for our client,” Nate says, getting right to the point. “They contain proof that could send Sophie and I to jail for a long time.”

“Why didn't you tell us about this before?” Eliot asks, angry.

“You had plenty of chances. Spent _forever_ going over that plan and not a peep about blackmail,” Hardison says, still typing.

Nate shrugs. “If Parker could get in and get the files, it wouldn't matter what's in them.”

It _does_ matter. “That's why they upgraded the vault,” Parker says. “That's why the guards were shooting to kill. They knew you'd try to get the files.”

“There's nothing in their computer system about you two,” Hardison says, looking up from his phone. “Are you sure they actually have the proof?”

“We gave them a virus last night and wiped everything out. All that's left is the paper copy,” Sophie says. She smiles. “They don't know that yet.”

Eliot growls, “Sending us in blind when you _knew—_ ”

“I didn't know!” Nate snaps. “Parker just burst in and told us why the plan wouldn't work.”

“You had intel you should've given us!” Eliot snaps back. Hardison nods emphatically. It feels good to have them on her side. She isn't alone in this.

Sophie says, “You're right. We should have told you.” She sounds sincere. “But how did you know about the changes, Parker?”

“I'm in a time loop,” Parker says. “I've been in the vault twice, and been shot by the guards twice.” She doesn't think Sophie will believe her. Hardison winces.

Sophie blinks. “I... what?”

Nate drains the last of his whiskey and stares at the glass like he wishes there was more. “How do we know there really are changes to the security?” he asks.

“I just told you,” Parker says. Nate doesn't believe her either?

“I know it's a bit... out of the ordinary,” Hardison says, “But I think Parker's telling the truth.” Eliot nods.

Sophie and Nate exchange a look. Nate clears his throat. “Well, I don't know what we can do about it, except be more careful.”

“More careful?” Eliot repeats, sarcastically. “How?”

Nate shrugs. “Get Hardison to monitor the security guards more closely, turn off the burn room if there is one. That kind of thing.”

An idea pops into Parker's head. “Or turn it on,” she says.

Everybody stares at her.

“Turn the burn room on remotely,” Parker says. “Burn up the proof. No reason for me to go in at all.”

Sophie nods slowly. “We were just going to destroy the files anyway.”

“It's triggered by motion sensors on the filing cabinets,” Parker tells Hardison. “You turned those off for me before.”

“Turning them on is just as easy,” Hardison says, fingers flying over his phone keyboard. “There. And then spoof the alarm notification and nobody will even know it's burnt until they open the vault manually.”

“It's done?” Nate asks.

Hardison looks up. “Yep.”

Parker breathes out in relief. Maybe that will fix everything.

Hardison continues, “Though since you obviously don't trust us, you'll have to get somebody to break in to double check.”

Nate sighs and swirls his empty glass. “Hardison,” Sophie says, in her disappointed voice.

“You lied to us,” Eliot says. He's still angry but his voice is colder now.

Nate stands up. “Not really. I just didn't tell you everything,” he says. “I know you're upset but it isn't like this has never happened before.”

Parker's never died over and over before. For a second, she wonders what would have happened to everybody if she died the first time and didn't reset. It hurts to think about.

Sophie stands up too and says, “Why don't we all meet up this evening for dinner? We can celebrate our success.” She smiles at them.

“Yeah, _our_ success, sure,” Hardison says.

Nate's looking at Parker the way he used to sometimes, like he's trying to figure her out. She meets his eyes and says, “It doesn't matter if you believe me or not.” She doesn't need to prove anything to him anymore.

Nate blinks first. Then he turns away to the whiskey bottle on the table. Parker turns away too and leaves the room.

She keeps walking until she's outside, under the sun. The hotel has a little garden path with benches. Parker chooses one and sits down. Eliot and Hardison sit on either side of her.

“Can you tell us more about what happened?” Hardison asks, after they've sat there for a few minutes.

Parker tells them about how she died. She even tries to explain how it was worse when she wasn't alone, though the words don't really come out right.

Hardison gently leans against her, asking, and she curls against his side, pulling his arm around her. They rock a little. Then Eliot hugs both of them and they all move together. Parker can feel the love radiating off her boys in waves.

For this, she could live through anything.


End file.
